Back in the late 1960s NASA had put together a formal plan to send a manned mission to Venus for a flyby using Apollo hardware. They had done several studies and were serious about doing this mission. I had never heard of this planned mission until today. That would have been an amazing mission. The trip would have taken about one year.

Thats about all I think of. Maybe flyby on the way back from Mars or something, but a dedicated flyby?

Why not? Venus is closer to Earth than Mars is. According to the info the Venus flyby was part of the Apollo Applications Program. It was one of several proposed projects including a manned lunar base, a space station ans several other ideas.

Just to go all that way and not even land on something. That just seems wrong. Its like camping out in the ISS for the heck of it.

There was no technology then and no technology now, really, that would allow for a manned surface landing on Venus. The surface of Venus is almost literally "hell". The surface pressure is 93 atmospheres and the surface terperature is 467 degees Celcius (875 degees F). No robotic lander has lasted more than 90 minutes on the surface.

regarding the blimp something similar is under development already - think of JPAerospace's vehicles. In the General JP Aerospace Forum jpowell already said that his ATO's can go to Venus as well as to Mars. The ATO's are very proper for them because of their atmospheres.

regarding the blimp something similar is under development already - think of JPAerospace's vehicles. In the General JP Aerospace Forum jpowell already said that his ATO's can go to Venus as well as to Mars. The ATO's are very proper for them because of their atmospheres.

Dipl.-Volkswirt (bdvb) Augustin (Political Economist)

A company called Global Aerospace developed a balloon that can potentially be used to study Venus' upper atmosphere about five years ago.